Trace-support



(No Model.)

H. F. LEIBSLE.

TRACE SUPPORT.

No. 430,659. Patented June 24, 1890.

UNITED STATES.

% PATENT OFFICE.

HERMAN F. LEIBSLE, OF CONRAD, GROVE, IOWA.

TRACE-SUPPORT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 430,659, dated June 24, 1890..

Application filed March 26, 1890- Serial No. 345,431. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN F. LEIBSLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at (Jonrad Grove, in the county of Grundy and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Trace-Support, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to harness, and more particularly to that portion thereof adapted to be connected tothe harness-saddle to hold the tracesin place. 7

The object of the invention is to provide a device which will permit the traces to fall at the sides of the horse as the motion of the vehicle may require, but which will prevent the traces from rising too high. This object I accomplish by my improved trace-carrier, which consists, essentially, of an angular metallic strap suitably secured to the outer face of the girth, a metallic guide having lugs provided with openings which engage said me tallic strap, so that the guide may rise and fall thereon, eyes on the two parts, and an adjustable connecting-strap; as well as of adjunctive and specific details of construction which assist in carrying out said object and enhance the value of the complete device, all as more fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in' which Figure 1 is a front elevation of this device with the tie-strap removed. Fig. 2 is a side elevation or edge view thereof, and Fig. 3 is a horizontal section through the parts on the line a: 00.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the letter G designates the girth of an ordinary harness, and T is one of the traces, standing at right angles to this girth, as will be understood. Riveted to the outer face of the girth is a metallic strap M, having an eye I in its lower end to receive the girth. Near the said eye this guide is provided with an enlargement E, above which its body is of angular or dovetailed cross-section, as shown in Fig. 3, and its upper end is reduced, as at e, and seated in a leather socket K, which is sewed or riveted to the outer face of a strap S, which passes over the harness-saddle and supports the strap and girth.

The letter D designates a metallic guide, which is oval in shape and between one-half and one inch in width. To the rear member of this guide is integrally attached a pair of lugs L, having upright notches or recesses adapted to fit the angular metallic strap M, whereby this guide will move freely up and down upon said strap, but cannot be displaced therefrom, its downward movement being limited by the enlargement E and its upward movement by the socket K. The girth G and the strap M are slightly curved throughout their length, so as to conform approximately to the shape of the horses side, and the slots or openings through the lugs L at the rear of the guide must, therefore, be set at a slight angle to each other, as will be readily understood. At the lower end of the guide is an eye '6, for a purpose which will now be described. Above the eye I, at the end of the strap M, is located another and smaller eye 11', which projects outwardly from the body of this strap. An adj usting-strap A of leather is provided, whose upper end passes over the eye t' on the guide D and is riveted, as at a, to itself, its extreme being provided with a buckle, as shown. The other end passes downwardly through the eye '5', above mentioned, and engages the buckle, as will be understood, whereby the guide may be supported at any desired height upon the metallic strap.

This improved attachment being applied to the saddle and girth of an ordinary harness, the trace T, which may be either a chain or a leather strap, is passed through the guide and connected to the vehicle. The adj ustingstrap A is now operated, whereby the guide D is held at the desired heigl1tthat is to say, so that it will stand about in alignment between the ends of the trace when the latter is drawn tight. The free end of the adjusting-strap is then engaged in the buckle, and the horse may be driven as usual. If, on account of the motion of the vehicle or of the horse, the trace is thrown downwardly the guide is permitted to fall' upon the metallic strap; but it cannot move upwardly thereon any farther than the length of the adj ustingstrap will permit. This improved tracesupport, therefore, allows a downward, but prevents an upward, movement of the traces, and it will be obvious that just one-half of the strain which is put upon a horse when the trace is rigidly connected to the harness is avoided. It will be obvious that when such a large proportion of the strain on the horse is done away with, the animal will not so soon become tired nor his flesh or body abraded or worn by the chafing action of parts of the harness.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with a metallic strap secured to the girth and of angular cross-section, of the metallic guide, provided with lugs having slots loosely embracing said metallic strap, eyes in the lower ends of said strap and guide, and an adjusting-strap connecting said eyes, as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a metallic strap secured to the girth and dovetailed in crosssection, said strap being, curved throughout its length, of the metallic guide, provided with lugs, having slots loosely embracing said metallic strap, said slots being out of alignment with each other, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the saddle-strap having a leather socket, the metallic strap riveted to the outer face of said strap, with its upper end seated in said socket and having an eye at its lower end, a girth leading from said eye and a small eye projecting from the outer face of said metallic strap, of a metallic guide sliding upon the body of said metallic strap and having a small eye in its lower end, and an adj usting-strap connecting said small eyes, as and for the purpose set forth.

4. The metallic strap M provided with an enlargement E near its lower end, its body being of dovetailed cross-section above said enlargement, and means, substantially as described, for connecting this strap to a harness, in combination with a metallic guide D, having rearwardly-extending lugs L, provided with dovetailed notches fitting loosely upon said metallic strap, the downward movement of the latter being limited by said enlargement, the Whole constructed as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HERMAN F. LEIBSLE. Witnesses:

JOHN SMITH, G. H. BAKER. 

